#15 - CEF Solar Farm CUP - Laserfiche WebLink

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18 As discussed herein, the Project will comply with all code requirements, including those for setbacks, stormwater management, landscaping to protect residential views, and structural integrity. The Project will also not produce any harmful noise, fumes, runoff, or glare, will not be accessible to the public, and will be deemed electrically safe to connect to the existing grid by Xcel energy. As such, the proposed use will be a largely begnin addition to the environment while providing local Xcel customers with the opportunity to save on their electric bills and introducing needed pollinator habitat into the landscape. ii. The use or development conforms to the City of Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan. The Project supports the City of Lake Elmo’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan’s (the Plan) goals in a number of ways. First, the Project is proposed in a neighborhood with the Community Designation of Rural Residential and supports the Future Land Use Plan (and Land Use Goal #1) by not adding to residential denisty or urbanization through added infrastructure and maintaining the Property at a density of 1 unit per 10 acres. Next, the Project will primarily result in a privately-funded, new domestic energy infrastructure resource for the community (TRIN Goal #1) that can serve and benefit all residents of the City who choose to enroll by reducing their electric bills. An estimated 49% of households are unable to host residential solar systems mainly because they are renters and/or they have inadequate roof space so this new infrastructure will also support and expand on the Future Land Use Plan’s solar access and resiliency aims. Finally, the Project also supports Character & Governance Goal # 3 by providing all residents who subscribe regardless of home ownership or roof space, a novel way to connect to and benefit directly from their local, renewable solar resource. iii. The use or development is compatible with the existing neighborhood. The Project is compatible with the existing neighborhood as it maintains the desired density for the Rural Residential District, observes or exceeds all setbacks, protects residential views, and will not create or produce any impactful traffic, noise, smoke, fumes, glare or odors once operational. As stated above, the result is a begnin, and therefore compatible, addition to the existing landscape.